DEPARTMENT: Health
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Colleen M. Bridger MPH, PhD
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Ratifying the submission of a non-competitive grant application to Texas Department of State Health Services’ funding opportunity for Healthy Texas Babies.
SUMMARY:
This ordinance ratifies the submission of a grant application and acceptance of funds from the Texas Department of State Health Services’ for Healthy Texas Babies in the amount of $320,625.00 for a prorated five year period beginning December 1, 2017 and ending August 31, 2022 and approval of a personnel complement. The initial 9-month award period beginning December 1, 2017 and ending August 31, 2018 will be for $50,625.00. The four 12-month renewals to follow will be for $67,500 each annual term to run from September 1st through August 31st.
Furthermore, this ordinance authorizes the Director of the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District to initiate, negotiate, and execute any and all necessary documents and a grant contract to effectuate the acceptance of the referenced grant, and to execute contract amendments pertaining to this contract, to include a) carry-over funds, when ascertained and approved by the funding agency through a revised notice of award; b) line item budget revisions authorized by the funding agency; c) modifications to the performance measures authorized by the funding agency and listed in the contract so long as the terms of the amendment stay within the general parameters of the intent of the grant; d) no cost extensions; 3) amendments which will provide supplemental grant funds to the grant by the funding agency in an amount up to 20% of the total amount awarded to the grant; f) reimbursement increases of administrative funds for each participant served; g) amendments funding one time equipment purchases or defined program services; and h) changes in regulations mandated by the funding agency.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Women should schedule a prenatal care visit as soon as they know or suspect that they are pregnant, ideally within the first trimester of pregnancy; however, close to 40% of Texas women, primarily African American and Hispanic women, receive either late or no prenatal care. No or inadequate prenatal care is more likely to lead to low birth weight babies and pregnancy-related complications.
Currently in Bexar County, more than 1 in 5 pregnant adolescents receive no prenatal care. As of 2015, 67% of all live births were from mothers who entered prenatal care in the first trimester, which indicates that one in three mothers do not access prenatal care in these crucial first three months of their pregnancy. The national Healthy People 2020 goal is that at least 77.9% of pregnant women access first trimester prenatal care. Barriers reported by mothers to obtaining prenatal care include lacking information about prenatal care and health insurance, having difficulty making appointments, not having enough time, transportation, and childcare, and not knowing they are pregnant.
The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) invited the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District (Metro Health) to participate in the Healthy Texas Babies program through the submission of a non-competitive grant application. Upon notification of Metro Health’s selection for this program, the department was given short notice to respond to DSHS.
The funds used will be provided by the Health Resources and Services Administration through The Department of State Health Services’ federal Title V award. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number for the funds is 93.994.
ISSUE:
This ordinance authorizes the ratification of the submission of the grant application to the Texas Department of State Health Services’ for Healthy Texas Babies and the acceptance of funds in the amount of $320,625.00 beginning December 1, 2017 and ending August 31, 2022. This ordinance also approves one position.
The funding from the grant will be used to develop a needs assessment to identify areas in the community where there is a deficiency in pre-natal care services. This needs assessment will be used to develop plans to address deficiencies in pre-natal care and enhance collaboration between agencies working in collaboration to improve birth outcomes, maternal, perinatal and infant health and to reduce disparities in infant mortality.
ALTERNATIVES:
Without these funds, San Antonio will struggle to meet the Healthy People 2020 goal that 77.9% of pregnant women receive first trimester prenatal care.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ordinance authorizes the ratification of a grant application and accetpance of funds from the Texas Department of State Health Services’ Healthy Texas Babies in the amount of $320,625.00 beginning December 1, 2017 and ending August 31, 2022. The initial 9-month award period beginning December 1, 2017 and ending August 31, 2018 will be for $50,625.00. The four 12-month renewals to follow will be for $67,500 each annual term. The grant will fund one full time position. There is no impact on the General Fund.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the ratification of the grant application to the Texas Department of State Health Services for the Healthy Texas Babies funding opportunity, acceptance of funds, approval to execute the grant, and approval of a personnel complement.